Westlea pupils prove they are good citizens

PSCO Mandi Coles with Sarah Sumner and pupils at Westlea Primary School after presenting their prize in the Swindon Junior Good Citizen scheme Picture: DAVE COX

PUPILS at Westlea Primary School have been rewarded for demonstrating superior safety knowledge in the Swindon Junior Good Citizen scheme.

The primary school was presented the winning prize by PSCO Mandi Coles in a special assembly on Thursday.

Year six won an engraved shield and special mugs for their performance at the Punjabi Community Centre in Gorse Hill, where they were faced with a variety of safety scenarios.

They were scored on their ability to deal with a number of threats, relating to road and railway safety, fire safety, food hygiene, personal safety, Anti-Social Behaviour and e-safety.

More than 1,500 children from 39 schools took part in the scheme, which has been running for 26 years.

PCSO Coles said: “It has armed thousands of children across Swindon with crucial information about how to deal with dangerous and possibly life-threatening situations. It helps to give them life skills that they can take with them to other schools.”

Maia and Elliot, both aged 11, collected the prize at the assembly.

“I understand that it’s important because we need to learn how to be safe and experience how hard it would be in those scenarios”, said Elliot.

Headteacher Rose Carberry said: “It’s so lovely that they did so well and took it so seriously. It’s good to get such nice comments about their behaviour.”

Shaw Ridge and Orchid Vale schools took second and third place respectively.